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Ask HN: MAC vs PC for a developer?

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Re: Ask HN: MAC vs PC for a developer?

#51

Post by ks »

joechung wrote: post #38
zealog wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's true - and another reason to go with Mac. On my Mac I can test Mac versions of Safari, Firefox, and Opera. I can also have virtual machines to test for Windows Firefox, IE6, IE7, and IE8 at the same time. If I were on a PC I would only be able to have one version of IE installed. It's still funny to me that to develop websites that work on all of the Windows browsers a Mac is the only thing that makes sense.

"If I were on a PC I would only be able to have one version of IE installed." That's not true. You can have virtual machines to test multiple versions of IE, too.

Microsoft has released a program called "Web SuperPreview". It enables you to compare pages both in IE6 and IE7/8.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=8e6...

Re: Ask HN: MAC vs PC for a developer?

#52

Post by amastilovic »

As someone who is doing programming nearly 90% of my working hours, and someone who used all three major systems (OS X, Vista, Linux), I would suggest you go with a computer that is giving you highest raw metal power for the buck.

If you are really working and not playing around with desktop cpu monitor gadgets or trying out hundreds of time organizing schemes instead of doing some actual work, you will come to the conclusion that it's not that much about the editor, or the OS you are using, it's all about cpu and memory cycles you wait for while compiling, debugging, testing.

Since Macs aren't actually known for their "bang for the buck" ratio (in hardware terms), I'd go with a PC and install either Vista or Linux. Mac OS X simply doesn't add that much value to justify the price difference (plus it has its own quirks and wtfs).

Re: Ask HN: MAC vs PC for a developer?

#53

Post by rimantas »

cglee wrote: post #8
makecheck wrote: post #3

Mac, most definitely. For one, Mac OS X comes with a Python version installed. It also comes with a whole toolbox of Unix utilities, including a number of text editors. (There are many other 3rd party text editors for the Mac, too. Though I stick with "vim" or Xcode myself, both of which are included.) You can't understate the value of being able to pop down to the Unix layer when needed. There are lots of times wher…

As a web developer, you'll also probably need to test in Windows and IE. For that, get Fusion or Parallels and you can have Windows and OSX running side by side.

You can also try free http://www.virtualbox.org/ from Sun.

Re: Ask HN: MAC vs PC for a developer?

#54

Post by ratsbane »

cglee wrote: post #8
makecheck wrote: post #3

Mac, most definitely. For one, Mac OS X comes with a Python version installed. It also comes with a whole toolbox of Unix utilities, including a number of text editors. (There are many other 3rd party text editors for the Mac, too. Though I stick with "vim" or Xcode myself, both of which are included.) You can't understate the value of being able to pop down to the Unix layer when needed. There are lots of times wher…

As a web developer, you'll also probably need to test in Windows and IE. For that, get Fusion or Parallels and you can have Windows and OSX running side by side.

I used to use Parallels but I've switched to VirtualBox. It's free, open source, and works at least as well as Parallels: http://www.virtualbox.org/

Re: Ask HN: MAC vs PC for a developer?

#55

Post by nx »

kwamenum86 wrote: post #30
nx wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Excuse me, "PC" does not mean "Windows computer", so I'd pick a PC and install some Linux distro.

Most people mean "Windows machine" when they say "PC" though. Since the way people use a word define the meaning of the word more than even a dictionary definition, PC does in fact mean Windows machine.

I'd argue that "PC" has two meanings then. I'm going for "non-Mac PC", since that's what the title implies by separating Macs from the rest of PCs, and because I don't feel sensitive to exclude a huge set of possibilities.

Re: Ask HN: MAC vs PC for a developer?

#56

Post by nx »

MrRage wrote: post #32
nx wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not the same. If you say "Mac or PC", it is understood that you mean "Apple computers, or other type of general-purpose personal computers, i.e., non-Mac PCs". But if we interpret "PC" only as "Windows computer", then there's this huge number of OSes we're not taking into account, since we're just considering OS X and Windows.

I suggest that we're all getting a little too pedantic here. The point is it's basically all the same hardware. You can buy anything and put any OS on it, although it's not so nice to put OS X on hardware that didn't come from Apple.

That's my point: "Mac PCs or non-Mac PCs".

Re: Ask HN: MAC vs PC for a developer?

#57

Post by jlees »

joshsharp wrote: post #11

I have a Mac and a PC and I feel more productive on a PC. I think the main reason for this is that I'm a "maximised windows" kinda guy and switching between windows and tasks feels much more smooth and simple for me in Windows. It may sound like a small thing but because the OS X dock deals with apps, not windows, it can be a pain switching between open windows (yes I'm aware of shortcut keys etc). Also the tendency…

Using virtual desktops really makes task switching on a Mac much less painful.

Re: Ask HN: MAC vs PC for a developer?

#58

Post by jlees »

ideamonk wrote: post #36

Don't forget that on OS X you would find Textmate, which has no match yet. On windows the best editor would be Notepad++. But nothing comes closer to Textmate. If you wish to save some money, then better got for a PC.

I use Komodo for Python on Mac as well. It's really nice. Plus you can always drop into vim when needed.

Doing it all on Windows just feels wrong to me after years of Mac use ;-)

Re: Ask HN: MAC vs PC for a developer?

#59

Post by lucumo »

kwamenum86 wrote: post #30
nx wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Excuse me, "PC" does not mean "Windows computer", so I'd pick a PC and install some Linux distro.

Most people mean "Windows machine" when they say "PC" though. Since the way people use a word define the meaning of the word more than even a dictionary definition, PC does in fact mean Windows machine.

So, how would you call a Linux machine?

Re: Ask HN: MAC vs PC for a developer?

#60

Post by jeremymcanally »

Tichy wrote: post #47

Since so many pros and cons have already mentioned, I'll just add that the Mac keyboards are not so super for coding (at least the german ones). It doesn't have "Home", "Page Down", "Page Up" or "Del", other keys like "~" and "\" require weird keyboard combos ("\" = alt+shift+"/"). Probably not an issue if you are a whiz with Emacs or Vim, but I tend to not remember many keyboard shortcuts, so atm it still bothers me…

The American one doesn't have these issues it seems. That's odd.
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